Fire guts popular store in Lagos
A fire outbreak on Thursday engulfed the electronics section of the Justrite Superstore in the Egbeda-Akowonjo area of Lagos State, prompting a swift response from the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service.
The Controller General of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, Margaret Adeseye, confirmed the incident in a statement, saying the fire broke out at the supermarket located at No. 116 Akowonjo Road, near Jimoh Bus Stop.
She disclosed that the agency received a distress call at about 8:15 a.m., while firefighters from the Abesan and Agege Fire Stations arrived at the scene by 8:28 a.m.
According to Adeseye, emergency responders immediately deployed firefighting equipment and launched coordinated operations to contain the blaze, preventing it from spreading to other sections of the commercial building.
“Upon arrival, firefighters swiftly deployed firefighting equipment and commenced coordinated operations to contain the fire, prevent its spread to adjoining sections of the building, and safeguard lives, property and the environment,” she said.
She confirmed that the fire had been completely extinguished, adding that no casualty was recorded during the incident.
Adeseye noted that recovery and mop-up operations were ongoing while preliminary investigations indicated that the fire may have originated from the building’s alternative power source, specifically its solar inverter system.
“The fire has been put out as recovery of the remains is ongoing to bring the mop-up exercise to a wrap.
“The cause of the fire is suggestive of an alternative power source, the solar inverter system, while no casualty has been recorded,” she added.
The fire service said investigations would continue to determine the exact cause of the incident.
The latest fire outbreak occurred just hours after a gas-laden tanker caught fire along Abaranje Road in the Ikotun area of Lagos State.
The spokesperson for the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, Olawale Afolabi, attributed the tanker fire to a collision with a road bump.